February 14, 2011 – Happy Valentine’s Day! As a holiday that is basically defined as a celebration of relationships, there’s a lot we can take away about the online relationships we form with our website readers.

Part of our Fun Friday blog last week gave you some ideas about showing your website readers love by creating content that deviates from your business norm and gets a little social. But of course, there’s more than one way to show love that applies to online and offline relationships: listening.

You know that feeling when a friend, family member, or romantic partner buys you a special gift out of the blue because you had mentioned you wanted it a few months earlier? Part of that joy was getting what you wanted, but an even bigger part was because your friend/partner/family member proved how much they care about you by listening and remembering what you had told them and then acted on it.

Your Web content should work in largely the same way. Listen to what your readers and clients are telling you, and the type of information they are asking for. These insights should inform a lot of your website’s content. Whether it takes the form of a blog, article series, FAQ, or just responding to blog comments and acknowledging messages on your social media profiles, when you show your readers that you are, in fact, listening to their concerns and actually responding, you’re doing a lot more to foster your relationship than you may even realize.

Remember, like all relationships, communication is key! When you let your readers know you care by communicating with them, not at them, it can go a long way to foster customer loyalty and referrals. So this Valentine’s Day, when you are picking out cards and chocolates and flowers for your loved ones, don’t leave your readers out in the cold. Give them Web content that shows your website isn’t run by a bunch of cold computers but real people that are here to listen and respond to their needs.